BERT Spirit

The Bonny Eagle Robotics Team (BERT) just returned from the Granite State District FIRST Robotics Competition where they walked away with the Team Spirit Award.

This was their first competition of the 2014 season with their robot “Pneuman.” BERT ranked fifth of 39 teams going into the quarterfinals, were picked for the fourth place alliance, and won their first two quarterfinal matches putting the team into the semifinals. Their alliance got knocked out after two semifinal matches but BERT took No. 1 for pit safety on Day 1, walked away with the Team Spirit Award, and had an amazing time.

BERT would like to invite you to join them on April 4 and 5 in Lewiston for the Pine Tree District FIRST robotics competition. It is at the Androscoggin Bank Collisee and admission is free. This is the only FIRST competition in Maine.

If you would like to learn more about BERT, see 3-D details of Pneuman, their robot, and much more, check out the newly created website at www.bert133.org. Follow BERT on Facebook by liking their page at www.facebook.com/bert133 and learn the latest about their progress toward the New England District Championship at Boston University April 10-12.

BERT is looking for educators and STEM professionals to join their mentoring, coaching and advisor team. For more information, email bertrobotics@gmail.com.

Free Dinner

There will be a free dinner tonight (March 14) at Standish town hall beginning at 6 p.m. hosted by The River. The River is a faith-based community center that provides an environment where teens can interact and receive role model/peer support. They work in partnership with existing school, church, non-governmental organizations and community programs to relentlessly challenge today’s young people with a powerful and relevant message that addresses cultural issues such as bullying, cutting, drug and alcohol abuse, suicide, violence, sexual immorality and hopelessness.

The River is a nonprofit public charity founded to bring a message of hope and purpose to this generation. They often host events that feature nationally recognized celebrities, bands, dramatic companies and motivational speakers with a positive message. For more information, call 939-5509, email bill@theriver-ridgway.org or visit www.theriverint.com.

Your Input Needed

The second of three short surveys for the Steep Falls Village Master Plan will be available Monday, March 10, through Tuesday, March 18, and your participation is greatly needed. The last survey only received 35 responses and that is not an accurate representation of our town as a whole. This survey topic is about Economic Development and Outdoor Recreation and how important it is in the future of Steep Falls Village. Please invest just a very few minutes of your time and visit https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/5NQ5XCV. Paper copies are available at the town hall.

The follow-up workshop to discuss the results of the survey will be held on Thursday, March 20, at 7 p.m. at the town hall. The committee would like to urge residents, businesses and property owners from Steep Falls and all of Standish to come and participate in these work sessions and help guide the development of the Steep Falls Village Master Plan.

Blood Drive

The Standish Community Blood Drive will be held Saturday, March 15, from 8 a.m.-1 p.m. in the Sebago Lake Room at Standish Town Hall. For more information, call the American Red Cross at 1-800-RED CROSS to make an appointment, and walk-ins are always welcome.

New Club at BEHS

Starting in April, a select group of BEHS students will have the opportunity to join a brand new Computer Programming Club. The aim of the club is to complement existing computer curriculum and to introduce students to software development with the assistance of an experienced software engineer. Students will be presented with an introduction to software development building blocks and will have the opportunity to work on game or web development projects in a guided programming lab environment.

The club size is limited to no more than 10 students this year, so space is limited! Apply today to take advantage of this awesome opportunity. Students can apply with their Bonny Eagle Google account by visiting this webpage http://bit.ly/BE-comp-club-signup. The deadline for applying is March 21. The advisers will contact all who apply with further information after that date.

Project Graduation Fundraiser

Do you have a mattress that you would like to replace? Do you know anyone who does? Here is an easy way to support the kids’ Project Graduation fun by stopping by Bonny Eagle Middle School on Saturday, March 15, from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. All proceeds from the mattress sale will support BEHS Project Graduation 2014.

There will be over 20 different mattress sets on display to try out. Prices are 30- to 60-percent off retail and start at $249. All sizes of mattresses will be available in firm, pillow top, plush, memory foam, latex, gel and more.

This sale is only one day and they will accept credit and debit cards, cash and checks. For more information, contact Custom Fundraising Solutions at cfsofmaine@yahoo.com or lvickery@vertafore.com.

Reminders

• Steep Falls Elementary School kindergarten registrations will be held on Tuesday, March 18, from 7:30 a.m.-3 p.m. and again on Wednesday, March 26, from 2-7:30 p.m. For more information, call 675-3321.

• Edna Libby Elementary School registrations will be held on Thursday, March 6, from 7:30 a.m.-3 p.m.; Thursday, March 13, from 2-7:30 p.m. and again on Thursday, March 27, from 8-11:30 a.m. For more information, call 642-2500.

• Bonny Eagle Strong Craft Fair will be held on Saturday, March 22, at the Bonny Eagle Middle School (occupying both gyms). This craft fair is a fundraiser which will provide a Bonny Eagle Strong scholarship to a high school senior that has shown that overcoming the events and obstacles in their life have shaped the people they are, and how overcoming these obstacles has affected their chosen course of study.

The Bonny Eagle Robotics Team, which just earned the Team Spirit Award at the Granite State District FIRST Robotics Competition, is made up of Alex Deering, Riley Sawyer, Danny Lindberg, Nicholas Sabasteanski, Tillman Weyand, Justin Weyand (mentor), Amber Lindberg, Clayton Colburn (mentor), Emily Hascall, Jackson Newberry, Tony Payeur, Evan Gillingham, Makayla Lauritsen, Liam Kelly, Jackson French, John DiRenzo (mentor), Shana Qualey (mentor), Collin Sawyer, Jacob Moss, Aidan Qualey, Spencer Ratte, Gabe Munro-Ludders and Isaac Tracy (alumnus).  Motorists along Route 35 in Standish may have recently noticed low levels of water in the Cumberland-Oxford canal, a view of which can be seen near the Middle Jam Road-Route 35 intersection. The canal was drained on Feb. 27, according to Joanna Rieke, a spokeswoman for Sappi Fine Paper North America, the Boston-based company that manages the output of Sebago Lake through the Presumpscot River and historic canal that in the 1800s helped form a navigable link from Portland to Harrison. Once a culvert that runs under the canal is repaired, Rieke said, the water should return to normal levels.